My 89 MJ Build

[TrailReadyMJ]

First off, I would like to say hello to my fellow MJers!!! There are sure some nice trucks on this board! I have been a long time member of several clubs, online and local, but this is my first post(s) on here! I am also known as trailreadyxj on most forums including NAXJA.

 

Anyway, here are the posts I have made on other boards for my ever continuing project!

 

I'm posting a bunch at once, so please bare with me...

 

 

1989 MJ, 4x4, 4.0, AW4, D30/35 , NP231.

 

The day I brought it home.

 

The PO decided to shoot it OD green, but ran out of paint before hitting the roof and in the bed.

Needless to say, I will be redoing some bodywork. I am going to keep the color though.

 

I cleaned it up a bit, rattle canned the inside of the bed for now, and primered the roof.

 

I needed to get this thing on the road ASAP, and as cheap as possible! It needed several things to be road worthy. A couple tires, both unit bearings, and the shocks were totally shot. It also has a rod knock, and had no power with tons of hesitation! The heater didn't work, and the blower would only kick on every once and a while. I can't complain, I didn't expect much from a $500 truck!

 

I have wanted one of these for years now, and my XJ had seen better days! My plan is to swap the lift, wheels and tires, and engine from the XJ.

 

So, I got to work! Unfortunately I had to work on it in my gravel/grass driveway due to a friends XJ occupying my small garage.

 

I mixed and matched until I had everything I needed to replace the necessary parts. I pulled the front springs, trackbar and CAs from the XJ.

Then I stuck it all under the MJ.

 

In the last pic, I drove it into work to fix the blower and install some tunes!

 

I did a SOA in the rear, so I had to add some spacers in front to level it out at about 6". DBs or LAs are in the very near future, but overall this thing rides great! After giving it a tune up, the power is back and I was able to get up to ~75MPH with no problems or vibes (it will rarely see those speeds!).

 

I kept the stock axles in it for now :( . I will be building a ford 8.8 and a non-disconnect HPD30, with 4.88s and probably Aussies. I don't plan to wheel it hard until I get the axles done, but have spare D35 parts, just in case.

[TrailReadyMJ]

As mentioned, I needed some tunes. I installed some Kenwood Excelon 6.5" coaxials in the doors, and a Excelon CD/USB player in the dash.

I install for a living, and got this stuff free through a promotion! I need to paint those door jams!

 

I also want to mention I installed a gauge cluster from a XJ with a tach and gauges. It originally had the idiot lights and giant fuel gauge (that was broken).

 

I was able to get it inspected with no problems after going through all the lights. I also had to fix the horn, and just wired in a momentary push switch. I have been driving it regularly, and it gets all kinds of attention! I can't even count the number of people that said I should paint a white star on the doors :lol: .

 

I am hoping the engine will hold through the winter, the knock isn't that bad. That will give me time to pull the 4.0HO from the XJ, and go through it. This will actually be the 4th Jeep it's been in, with only about 100K or less on the clock! That's a different story though.

 

I had to trim the fenders some, and removed the "air dam" below the front bumper. I will be running 35s once I get the axles done, so I will need to do some more.

 

 

Total out of pocket cost so far, not including the truck... $0!!!

[TrailReadyMJ]

On down the road a little...

 

 

I did take a couple poser shots the other day when I got a small load of firewood. The bed is loaded down, so the front isn't maxed out although the sway bar is disconnected. Too bad the rear won't flex this easy under normal conditions, but once loaded down for the trail, I should have some decent weight back there.

 

 

Here are some CA Drop Brackets that I built... yes built!

 

I still want/need to make the braces, but many run these on MJs without, so I'm going to go ahead and install them once I get time.

 

In addition to the normal DB mounting, I have added 2 self tapping bolts that will run straight up into the "frame". They go through the pocket, as well as the thicker part of the fame rail, so hopefully there will be enough to grab.

These are also a one piece design as far as the UCA goes, however there will be a strap going from the outside of the bracket, up to the stock UCA mount.

I also added a few adjustment points for the UCA, including an extra 1" stretch. I will be running stock UCAs for now, so this gives me more options.

 

My camera is acting up, so I only took a couple cell phone pics as the paint was drying. I'll try to get more, as well as some install pics.

 

 

I have about $10, and about 12 Hrs of work in these so far, including design time :)

[TrailReadyMJ]

Well, I got the brackets installed! It actually went pretty smooth and I had them on before lunch yesterday. Good thing too, since it rained all afternoon.

 

I took several pics and will be uploading them later this morning.

 

Like others, I need to raise the swaybar mounts! The steering would hit my endlink if connected, but JUST misses when disconnected. I was able to take it for a little drive without the swaybar, and it was MUCH improved! I definetly need to hook the swaybar up though, it's much "mooshier" now without it!

 

I also did a little flexing, but didn't get pics of it :(. My shocks are definetly the limiting factor now, and will eventually get replaced with better/longer ones.

 

I can tell I will be very happy with this setup once the little bugs are worked out and I can hook up the swaybar. Next will be OTK steering and a new, relocated, track bar.

 

I have also installed my drop pitman arm and trackbar mount brace. I made this last year for my XJ. It is designed to use a ZJ arm (3/4" drop from XJ/MJ), not yet installed in pics.

 

[TrailReadyMJ]

Here's the DB pics.

 

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

 

 

I got the swaybar link relocation brackets made.

I also went in and added the strap to the stock UCA mount, as well as an extra mounting point to take full advantage of the stock LCA mount brace.

I have a bit of an oil leak :shock:

[TrailReadyMJ]

I have installed a lock right in front, the best part is it's for a D35 :shock:

 

Here is the writeup I did on the NRVJC forum:

Here it goes… This all started when I traded some work for a D35 Lock Right. I figured I could do one of two things with it. I had a D30 Lock Right, but it was missing the spacers that keep the couplers aligned. Before I saw it, I was going to see if these spacers were interchangeable, they are not! This ruled out the idea of piecing together the D30 Locker.

 

Then I went on to plan “B”. I was just going to throw it in the rear for temporary, light throttle use. I have spare shafts, and full D35 internals, so I figured, why not? I got into tearing down the axle, and noticed I have a non c-clip D35. I didn’t think much of it, other than my spare shafts wouldn’t work. Since if it did break a shaft, it would not keep me from limping off the trail, I continued. Well, it turns out the non-c clip version has a larger carrier, and the locker won’t fit. With ideas brewing in my head, I continued to reassemble the axle. At least I have new gear oil!

 

Now is where the outside the box thinking comes in. Looking at the two lockers, they appeared VERY similar in overall size, and are the same spline count and cut. I noticed the D35 Locker was slightly wider than the 30, but only .020” or so. I had a spare D30 Carrier lying around, so I figured what the hell… To my surprise, it fit great! The side couplers fit perfectly in the carrier, even the pin is the same diameter!

 

With this test fitting done, I decided to try the real thing. I tore down the front end, and installed the locker normally. Once again it fit great, and I was feeling even more confident in the results. Below is a pic of the locker installed in the D30 carrier. The only real “disadvantage” I see is that it has the cutouts for the D35 c-clips.

 

 

I reassembled the front end, and did the standard spin tests to make sure it would unlock. This was the thing I was most concerned with since this locker was a little wider. Worse case, this would cause it to either not unlock, or be rough in operation. I was pleased to find it unlocked very smoothly! I put it all back together and went for a drive. Like my previous Aussie, I couldn’t even tell it was there in 2wd! Slight clicking on slow, sharp turns, just like it is supposed to have! As I pulled back in my driveway (gravel), I engaged 4wd, and made a sharp turn. It was very apparent the locker was working, and my experiment was a success!!!

 

I still have to actually try it out off road, but with everything in spec and functioning as it should, it should be just fine. I will report back once I get a chance, but with D35 lockers floating around for CHEAP, this could be a great option for those on a tight budget!

 

 

Update: Well, I had a chance to test the locker out by climbing a hill/wall at work. It's a ~2ft retaning wall with a pretty steep, muddy little hill afterwards. It worked great! I climbed up without even spinning a tire :) I also played around a bit at my neighbours land, and it worked perfectly the whole time!

 

I will also mention, I only tried this because it seemed to fit (and did!), and I have a couple extra D30s laying around if something went BOOM! We will see how it holds up in the long run, but so far, so good!

[TrailReadyMJ]

Also...I have been working on a new and improved OBA setup for the MJ. I had a system on the XJ, but it required constant oiling, and was never leak free. Well, I pieced together a much better system out of parts I already had that came extra with my home air compressor.

 

Here is a pic showing the components. I need to redo a couple things after installing and testing it. First the check valve should be before the safety valve. However, the check valve seems to be bad, so it's now just a fancy coupler :roll: . Also the pressure switch I had was way too low, like 20psi, so it will get replaced asap!

 

The compressors have odd size fittings. On the XJ I just cut the AC hoses and used the stock connection. However, the MJ didn't even have AC stock, so I found a solution.

It just happens that the inside of the output is just the right size to tap for 3/4" pipe thread!

 

The input side is less critical since it isn't pressurized, so I just found a piece of PVC, and force threaded it on.

 

I also ran a tube from the separator back to the oilier through an adjustable valve. This allows self lubrication, and other than an occasional oil change, it's maintenance free! I tested it, and it works great!

 

Here you can see the tube, and intake side:

 

I have installed it, but didn't get any pics yet. The compressor just bolted on in place of the idler pulley bracket, and all the stuff fits nicely in an area unused by Jeep.

 

I ran the hose into the cab where there is a dash mounted pressure gauge. Then it goes out the back, and into my toolbox where the tank is stored. I found out a 5 gallon air tank fits perfect in the corner on my truck box! One day, the tank will probably move under the bed, but for now this is perfect!

 

 

That's all for now... I promise :)

[Shane]

Nice MJ. Keep it up :cheers:

[WahooSteeler]

Nice work, keep the pics and info coming. I see VA plates on there, where are you?

[TrailReadyMJ]

Thanks for the comments.

Nice work, keep the pics and info coming. I see VA plates on there, where are you?

I am near the Blacksburg area.

[WahooSteeler]

Thanks for the comments.

Nice work, keep the pics and info coming. I see VA plates on there, where are you?

I am near the Blacksburg area.

 

I figured you were probably on the same side of the state as me with those rolling hills. Well, welcome aboard. As we like to say 'round here, beer's in the fridge, and uh, don't sit on the tan couch, that's Chico's spot. :cheers:

[89eliminator]

your tracbar bracket, is that just a modification to the stock one? i was thinking of doing the same thing.

[TrailReadyMJ]

your tracbar bracket, is that just a modification to the stock one? i was thinking of doing the same thing.

Yup, sure is. I basically did this http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/tbconversion.html but added extra support.

[TrailReadyMJ]

I forgot to add a couple wheeling pics :)

 

[TrailReadyMJ]

WOW, it's been a while since I updated this!

 

Things I've done:

-Installed non-disco D30 in front

-Installed 8.8 with a LSD and discs in back

-Installed 4.56 gears F&R

-Put the 35's on

-Removed flares and trimmed fenders

-Chopped the rear quarters

-Built rear bumper with d-rings and a hitch

-re-mounted rear shocks for max travel

 

Here are some pics :waving:

 

Bumper (before welding on receiver mount)

 

Some wheeling pics with the 35s

 

Quick vid of me playing on a rock after hitting kodak rock at URE... no pics of kodak though, my camera was messed up :(. Note... I was going SLOW because a few people wanted pics.... not that I ever go fast as I fear the skinny...lol.

[BCMJ87]

Great job TrailReadyMJ,

 

Nice job on the LCA brackets

 

I think the MJ short box looks nice on the 35's

[TrailReadyMJ]

Time for an update...

I finally decided to build a front bumper to match the one I made for the rear a while back.

 

Eventually I will add a winch tray, and I still need/want to tie it into the frame a little better, but for now I have added protection and good recovery points

 

 

Here is the rear:

 

Now I just need to do the rocker replacement! That will have to be next, I can see into the cab through the pass side rocker :ack:

[TrailReadyMJ]

Well I haven't posted in a while, so I figured I'd update...

 

I left off with some major holes in my rockers. Knowing this wouldn't pass inspection, or begin to hold up to trail abuse, I decided to replace them with box tubing like I had done in my old XJ.

 

These didn't exactly turn out like I wanted, mainly due to lack of material and funds at the time. I needed an inspection, so I welded these in to where I can go back and do it how I really want to, but it will be plenty strong in the meantime. I didn't have enough tube to run the full length, so I wasn't able to protect the bedsides yet.

 

My camera was down during the build, but here is the "finished" product:

 

 

 

The ol' 4.0 was finally starting to kick the bucket, so it was time for a fix. I had a 4.0 in my XJ that ran great, so I just decided to swap it over. I wanted to build a stroker with it, but time wouldn't allow that yet, so I just cleaned it up, replaced seals, and painted it. I had a can of high temp aluminum lying around and figured it would look decent, and allow for easy leak detection.

 

This motor has quite a stoy behind it. It was originally bought by a friend of mine after he blew his motor. We got it installed in his XJ and not a month later he started having trans and t-case problems. He ended up buying another Jeep, and I ended up with his to use for parts.

I ended up swapping the motor into my old XJ where it lived happily for about a year, and only about 2-3K miles. So now I have it in my MJ, and this is the fourth Jeep it's been in with less than 100K miles on it!

 

'93 4.0 HO converted to Renix.

 

The old:

 

Out with the old:

 

In with the new!:

 

Eventually I will upgrade the intake, exhaust, etc.. but it's been running great for about 8 months now! (wow, it doesn't seem like it's been that long!)

[TrailReadyMJ]

If you read through my posts, you'll see that I'm actually running a dana 35 locker in my D30. Well, I have to say this thing has held up great! Almost too great... it managed to survive/cause this:

 

 

 

The sad part is I wasn't even having fun when it happened. I was pulling a rather large storage building, in reverse through gravel, when the tires hit a spot of mud, slipped and spun, grabbed, then BOOM! The locker and axles are fine, but the R&P are toast. I figured if I hadn't been pulling backwards, it wouldn't have happened. It was a LOT of stress on the coast side of the gear, not to mention the added weight on the front from the building (chain ran from bottom of building up to my bumper).

 

Now I need some HP30 4.56s!

[btm24]

oh wow well worst could have happened. so now were are waiting on the fix :popcorn: great mj i have always looked up to it :clapping:

 

Brandon

[TrailReadyMJ]

Thanks for the kind words man. Hopefully I can get the gears soon, things keep popping up preventing me from doing so. I miss my 4x4! Will be a necessity before long though, winter is just around the corner and if anything like last and I would be screwed in 2wd!

[freakjeep93]

 

could you do a write up on how you made these or even just explain it. this is something id like to do with my mj. id like to see rust eat through that lol

[TrailReadyMJ]

 

could you do a write up on how you made these or even just explain it. this is something id like to do with my mj. id like to see rust eat through that lol

 

Well, they are basically just 2"x6" tube, with IIRC ~1.5" tube on top tying it into the door jam.

 

Here is a quick ms paint diagram showing how they are mounted:

 

 

At the bottom, I welded the rocker to the inside of the pinch seam, then folded it over the weld, and welded the seam to the tube, so it's "double welded" lol.

 

It also work out well in that the extra bracing from the factory (from frame to rocker) was just right to weld to the bottom of the new rockers for even more strength.

 

The hardest part is probably squeezing the assembly into place with the extra bracing on top. Not to mention I barely had any rocker left to work with :roll: Oh, and when you cut the old one, be prepared for $#!^ to fly everywhere. Mine were full of dirt, and I even found a mouse nest in there.

 

All in all it worked out well, but if I wasn't working with limited materials, I would have made them long enough to protect the front of the bedsides as well.

 

It is nice to not have to worry about rust, or hitting rocks! It also provides a good spot for hi-lift jacking.

 

This was on my old XJ, but my camera was ok that day, so I got more pics. Basically the same process as the MJ.

 

Before:

Cut away:

Tacked in place:

Testing:

Done:

Real world testing, lol.

 

Hope this helps, just let me know if you have any questions :cheers:

[Comanche County]

Nice work man, keep the updates coming! :cheers:

[freakjeep93]

okay i get it now. the pics helped alot. thanks.